Magistrate Edgar Kagoni in trouble for mishandling Sh30m heroin

Mombasa Principal Magistrate Edgar Kagoni during a court session. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Mombasa Principal Magistrate Edgar Kagoni has been arrested for loss of heroin exhibit worth Sh30 million.

Mr Kagoniu was arrested alongside four others including Ruiru court assistant Onesmus Momanyi, court executive assistant Abdallah Awadh and court staff Lawrence Thoya.

The court officials are also in trouble over loss of cash Sh600,000 which was confiscated in an operation against drugs.

The loss of these exhibits, according the Directorate of Criminal Investigations happened in July 2018.

A police brief seen by the Nation showed that Mr Kagoni is being held at the Mombasa Port Police Station.

A source privy to the case told the Nation that orders for the arrest of the magistrate came from anti-narcotics director Dr Hamisi Massa, who has been at the Coast region to deal with drug cases.

The suspects will be arraigned Monday to face charges of obstruction with intent to defeat justice and aiding and abetting trafficking in narcotic drugs.

The arrest of Mr Kagoni comes days after his court clerk Florence Dianga was seized in connection with faking surety documents used to bail out Mombasa businessman Mohammed Ali Noor.

The court clerk was arrested alongside her accomplices George Ochieng Omollo and Teddy Ojwang Mwanga, who were charged in a Shanzu court.